Sports Shorts

SALEM — One year after becoming the youngest player to qualify for the New Hampshire Amateur golf tournament, Nick McLaughlin did pretty well picking on players his own size.

The 13-year-old from New Castle advanced to the quarterfinals of the State Junior Championship at Campbell's Scottish Highlands, losing to defending champion James Pleat Tuesday morning, 2-and-1. The tournament is open to players who have not reached their 18th birthday.

McLaughlin's opening round of 5-over-par 76 placed him seventh out of the 77 competitors. He defeated Damon Salo of The Shattuck, 2-and-1, in his opening match Monday afternoon.

This morning's championship match will pit Richard Campiola of Windham CC, who beat Pleat 2-and-1 in the semifinals, against Peter Reilly of Sky Meadow.

McLaughlin qualified for the State Am for the second straight year by shooting a 74 at a prequalifer earlier this month at Indian Mound GC to place third. The top 13 earned spots in the field for the State Am, which is July 9-14 at Lake Winnipesaukee GC in New Durham.

Seacoast Ticket picks up victory

Information from Portsmouth Babe Ruth games is provided by the league:

Seacoast Ticket 6

Portsmouth Ford 1

Seacoast Ticket advanced in the loser's bracket with a 6-1 over Portsmouth Ford. Adam Studer pitched six innings, giving up five hits and one run and Connor Young pitched a scoreless seventh. Jack Gonsalves led the offense, going 3-for-4, along with single hits going to Ryan McGreevy, Danny Oot, TJ Cochran, Timmy Sanborn and Young. Seacoast also turned in two double plays on defense.

Max Esposito started and pitched five innings for Portsmouth Ford in the defeat. Dan DiCesare relieved Esposito. DiCesare went 2-for-3 at the plate and single hits by Mike Barton, Christian DiCesare and Robbie Welch rounded out the offense.

Anderson-Nigrelli 2

Seacoast Ticket 0

Anderson-Nigrelli topped Seacoast Ticket in the first round of the playoffs.

Gabe May pitched a complete game for Anderson-Nigrelli, allowing only one hit and striking out 10. May also contributed at the plate with a single. Aidan O'Leary had a double and Patrick Losik had a single and RBI. May and Ryan Walters scored the two Anderson-Nigrelli runs.

Kyle Bowser and Adam Studer shared the pitching duties, and Jack Gonsalves had a triple for Seacoast.

Seacoast Ticket scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 6-6 tie. Mike Montville hit a two-run double, scoring Ryan McGreevy and Kyle Bowser, and TJ Cochran followed with a sacrifice fly.

PK Brown rallied from a 6-1 deficit by scoring five runs in the top of the sixth, the last two on a Steven Brouilette double.

McGreevy, Bowser and Montville all had two hits for the winners. Montville, Jack Gonsalves, Tim Sanborn and Bowser all pitched for Seacoast.

Noah Coren and Brouilette each had two hits for PK. JT Pearson and Brouilette shared the pitching.

RJ Construction settles for split

PORTSMOUTH — CTC Softball defeated RJ Construction, 9-8, in Portsmouth Men's Softball League action on Monday. Keith Marshall won the game with a two-run, walk-off homer in the seventh. Tim Hopley, Eric Chasse and Jeremy Pucko paced CTC with three hits each. Mike Francoeur led RJ with three hits.

DOVER — The Portsmouth Little League 11- and 12-year-old team began its tournament season by going 3-0 in a Dover jamboree last weekend.

In Game 1, Alex Mayeux pitched four innings for Portsmouth, with Dillon Crosby pitching in relief. Rick Nebling and Kyle Siverts led the team with two hits each.

In Game 2, Brady Marchewka had eight strikeouts and was followed in relief by Collin Siverts and David Rogers. Mayeux, Marchewka, Mike Brabazon and Aaron Rancourt had two hits apiece.

Collin Siverts had four strikeouts in four innings in Game 3. Brabazon, Crosby and David Rogers also pitched. Rogers got the win in extra innings. Recording three hits each for Portsmouth were Crosby, Marchewka, Brabazon and Jack Young.

The team will be playing in the South Berwick/Rollinsford Tournament starting Thursday.

Senior Babe Ruth: Portsmouth suffers first loss

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Senior Babe Ruth team suffered its first loss of the season Tuesday, a 13-3 setback against Lamprey River.

Lamprey River improved its record to 5-1 with the victory. Portsmouth fell to 5-1.

Josh Dufton allowed seven runs (six earned) in two innings on the mound. He struck out one and walked one.

Dufton also had two hits in the game.

Post 32 drops non-district game

NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — Despite two hits from Justin Gauron, the Exeter Post 32 American Legion baseball team dropped a 3-1 non-district game against Newburyport (Mass.) on Tuesday night.

The victory raised Newburyport's record to 12-2. Post 32 is 4-4 overall and 2-3 in District A.

Dan Corbin held Newburyport to one run on four hits in four innings. Taylor Denson and Colin Doherty each pitched an inning for Post 32. Doherty gave up Newburyport's other run.

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James will wear the red, white and blue this summer after all.

Cleveland's All-Star forward ended uncertainty about his status with the U.S. national team on Tuesday night by saying he will play in next month's FIBA America's Tournament, where the Americans will try to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.

"I'm going to play," James said. "I've had enough time off, and knowing my body more than anybody, I'm ready to play. I don't know how much I'm going to play or how extensively, but I'll be ready."

For several months, James had said he was "50-50" about playing for Team USA this summer.

He and his girlfriend recently had their second son, and with the Cavaliers making it to the NBA finals, James may have wanted some extra time off after playing more than 100 games since last October.

However, the 22-year-old, who played on the U.S. Olympic team at the 2004 Athens Games and for the U.S. squad that won a bronze medal at last summer's world championships, intends to honor his three-year commitment with USA Basketball.

"It was a long and tough year," James said. "But for me, if I make a commitment, I want to keep it. I'm a loyal guy. I committed to three years and I'm going to hold up my end of the bargain."

Percival makes return to majors

NEW YORK (AP) — Almost two years after he retired, Troy Percival returned to the big leagues.

The St. Louis Cardinals called up the former All-Star closer on Tuesday, hoping he can help a bullpen that has struggled this season.

The 37-year-old Percival, 12th on the career saves list with 324, left the majors because of persistent soreness in his right shoulder. His final outing was with Detroit on July 9, 2005, when he gave up a game-ending home run to Tampa Bay's Jonny Gomes.

"It feels like it's always felt," Percival said before Tuesday night's game against the New York Mets. "It's good to be back. It feels like I never skipped a beat."

Percival signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on June 8. He appeared in six games for Triple-A Memphis and had a 1.35 ERA in 6 2/3 innings.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service